reminded me of Coach Hep’s favorite poem, and I thought it was worth sharing once again — Ben.

Don’t Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but do not quit.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

The words from Coach Hep’s favorite poem, “Don’t Quit”, written long ago by John Greenleaf Whittier, were not recited just to motivate his players before a game – they were a way of life for him. Ben still keeps a copy of that poem taped to his locker.

And for the Steelers, they finished in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-16, for their sixth straight win.

The victory improves their record to 7-2-1, and 15-1-1 on the road in their last 17 games, keeping them on top of the AFC North.

“You just grow when you are faced with adversity like this in a hostile environment and you are not playing great and you find ways to get it done. From that standpoint really excited. We have some lessons to learn. You tip your cap to that group, particularly their defense. We got a big play and that got us back into it. I also tip the cap to our defense. They were put in some tough situations. They were out there a lot of snaps. They didn’t blink. They held the fort until our offense got going. Then with No. 7 you have a chance.” — Coach Tomlin.

The Jaguars dominated in the first half, but while the defense bent, they didn’t break.

Jacksonville had 169 yards of total offense in the half, including 141 yards on the ground. They controlled the clock, with 22:15 time of possession to the Steelers 7:45. But at halftime all they had were three field goals, a credit to the defense.

The Steelers offense managed just 66 yards in the half, with only 13 on the ground. Ben Roethlisberger completed just 8 of 19 passes for 52 yards and two interceptions and a 10.1 rating.

But in the end, it was the Steelers who would win the stats battle.

The Steelers fought back from a 16-0 deficit, scoring 20 unanswered points, to pull out the win.

Roethlisberger more than rebounded, finishing the day completing 27 of 47 pass attempts for 314 yards and two touchdown passes. Antonio Brown had five catches for 117 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown, while JuJu Smith-Schuster had eight receptions for 104 yards.

“I think I actually hurt the team more most of the game. It’s really how you finish. So many guys stepped up today. Guys never quit. We fought until the end. We got down the field. Guys made plays.” — Ben.

Roethlisberger also engineered a game-winning touchdown drive, taking over with 1:42 to play in the game. He hit Smith-Schuster for 35 yards, and Brown for 25 to the two-yard line. And with just eight seconds on the clock he took it himself, extending every inch of his body for a one-yard touchdown.

The defense shut down the Jaguars in the second half, allowing just 38 yards rushing.You can read Ms. Varley’s full recap here.You can catch the highlight of Ben’s game-winning touchdown here, and his full interview here.Ben Stat:

This marks the 12th season that Ben’s foundation has distributed grants to K-9 units.

His foundation is to support K-9 units of police and fire departments throughout the United States, with a particular emphasis on support for working dogs in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will utilize the grant to add a fully trained police dog to their K-9 unit.

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is very appreciative of the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation’s approval of our grant request for a police service dog. This past year, our Canine Unit has suffered the loss of Police Service Dog ‘Fang’ who was killed in the line of duty following an armed carjacking on September 30, 2018. While the community has rallied around in support to honor ‘Fang,’ this award will provide the necessary resources for the acquisition of trained service animals to join our family and continue the pivotal work they do. On behalf of all the members of JSO and the city of Jacksonville, thank you for your appreciation of these valued canines, as they are a tremendous asset to law enforcement and first responder organizations nationwide.” — Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams.

During the 2018 NFL season, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation will be distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation will also distribute several grants to the Pittsburgh area. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation distributed more than $170,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2017 NFL season, including $82,000 in the Pittsburgh community. The Foundation has distributed in excess of $1.92 million since 2007.Fans:
You can help support future K-9 grants by purchasing candy on Sarris Candies’ website, (www.SarrisCandiesFundraising.com), using a special purchase code (77-7777). Sarris will donate 25 percent of the purchase price to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.If you’d like more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation you can visit Ben’s Foundation page. For more in-depth information, please contact Jessica Duffaut at www.givingback.org.

“We have a lot of weapons and the offensive line protects well. I can’t say enough about how well they played. It’s a really good defense and they protected me. It’s a good team win against a really good team.” — Ben.

From Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:
Nobody’s perfect. Well, maybe some people are at least for a game. Last Thursday night Ben Roethlisberger was just that in a 52-21 win over the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger completed 22 of 25 passes for 328 yards, with five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3, before coming out early in the fourth quarter.

Seven different players scored and 10 players caught passes from Roethlisberger. On the Steelers first offensive play of the game Roethlisberger hit JuJu Smith-Schuster in stride around the 47-yard line and he took it 75 yards for a touchdown to tie the game, 7-7, and there was no turning back.You can read more from Ms. Varley here.

Recap provided by 93.7 The Fan:The past two week Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has worn “Stronger Than Hate” cleats to honor the 11 lives lost during the Tree of Life synagogue shooting on October 27.

In Baltimore, Roethlisberger wore white cleats that said “Stronger Than Hate” on them and last week against Carolina at home, Roethlisberger wore a black pair that had the 11 victims’ names on black cleats.

Jennifer Halle, an employee at the Fan’s brother station KDKA Radio, lost her uncle during the shooting. Halle was so touched by Roethlisberger’s gesture she wrote a hand-written note to thank Roethlisberger for honoring her uncle and the 10 other lives lost.

“That’s touching. That means a lot. Obviously I’m so sorry for her loss as well. So is everybody who lost somebody that they knew or loved those weeks ago . . . in Baltimore I just wore the kind of plain white with the “Stronger Than Hate” logo on it. That’s the first game since the incident, obviously the first game was the next day,” said Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger said during his weekly show on The Fan, it was a way to honor, remember and think about the victims.

“Carolina was our first home game since we had some time to reflect and everything. I had some shoes made. They had the ‘Stronger Than Hate’ logo on the back and then had all the victims’ names on the toe. Really it was just a way for me to really honor those people and their families. You know, so many times it’s easy for people that weren’t directly affected, you know someone like me or somebody that didn’t have an immediate family member or whatever, to just kind of move on. And it’s not easy for other people that did lose somebody to just move on. And so I’ve always said how proud I was of all the guys on our team that we’ve been able to give the fans, give those people maybe three hours of a break. Not to forget, but just to kind of take their mind off it for a little while. And we’ve been able to do that the last few weeks.”

Roethlisberger adds he and some others went to dinner Monday with former Steelers community relations manager Michele Rosenthal, who lost her brother’s Cecil and David Rosenthal during the shooting.

“We went to dinner with her and her parents and Brett and Sarah Keisel and her parents were on their way out of town and so I gave those shoes to her mom as a token of our love and thoughts and supports…it’s just a way that we say that we’re never going to forget.”

Only for the event! The theme of ‘Throwin it Back to the 90s,’ featured Charlie as The Fresh Prince. He was joined by both current and former Steelers players who took on fans in an array of games, all for a great cause!You can read more here.

….is to Marine Corps veteran and Steelers fan Greg Yakubik (afterall, it IS the same weekend as the Marine Corps Birthday!):

“I joined the United States Marine Corps on November 7th, 1999 and was sent to Parris Island, South Carolina for basic training. After graduating from basic, I did infantry training in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. After my training, I was sent to Camp Pendleton, California for my permanent duty station where I spent 4 years. My unit was sent to Australia to do training with Australian forces, then on to Etajima Island Sasebo, Japan; Nagasaki and Okinawa, Japan. In 2003, my unit was sent into Iraq. We were the first unit to cross the border into Baghdad, which was on St Patrick’s Day. My unit took down Baghdad on April 11th.”

I loved being a Marine & fighting for my country! When I left the Corps, I started working in the Emergency Room at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I guess protecting others is just a part of who I am, which is why I went on to college for Criminal Justice. I am now a Senior Safety Officer for UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Institute.

I grew up in the Pittsburgh area (and will always live here) and have been a Steelers fan all my life! I was lucky to marry a girl that loves Steelers football just as much as I do, and we never miss a game. We are huge Ben fans in this house since he came into the league. I really enjoy watching him play every game day. I also love the work his foundation does for the police around the country. I have a lot of friends that are cops in the Pittsburgh area, so this really means a great deal to me. My wife and I have tried to do our part for Ben and his foundation over the years – we’ve volunteered at the kids’ camps he holds every summer, and also at his charity golf tournaments. We have even attended his charity events as guests. I’m proud to be a Marine, a Pittsburgh native, and a life-long Steelers fan!” — Greg Yakubik.

Greg, we are honored to tell your story! Thank you for your service not only in the Corps & around the world, but at home in Pittsburgh as well!

Thank you to ALL of our veterans!! We are truly a blessed Nation to have you keeping us safe! God Bless America!

“We have a lot of weapons and the offensive line protects well. I can’t say enough about how well they played. It’s a really good defense and they protected me tonight. It’s a good team win against a really good team.” — Ben. More from Ben’s post-game interview here.

“Ben is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week!”From Bob Labriola, Steelers.com:
Winning in the NFL doesn’t require perfect play from the quarterback, but if a team gets perfect play from its quarterback, things certainly are a whole lot easier. Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field, the Steelers got perfect play from their quarterback, and that got them off on the right foot for what turned into a 52-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 22-of-25 (88 percent) for 328 yards, with five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a perfect 158.3 rating. Roethlisberger also ran three times for 27 yards, and for all of that he is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.You can read more from Mr. Labriola here.You can see more great game photos from Mr. Karl Roser here.“Ben Roethlisberger has Steelers playing like team possessed”From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:
The liveliest party of the year just took place in Heinz Field, where they danced so hard in the end zone that they ran out of touchdown celebrations, and that’s when they weren’t throwing Cam Newton to the turf.

The Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t lying when they said they were just getting started.

The 52-21 pounding of the Panthers on Thursday tied for the most points allowed in Carolina history and showed that the Steelers look ready to make their own history. Carolina last gave up 52 points on Christmas Eve in 2000 against the Oakland Raiders.

If Ben Roethlisberger can continue to deliver masterpieces like this against a good defense, the Steelers — winners of five straight — might have their best chance at a Super Bowl since the early Mike Tomlin years.

Roethlisberger finished 22-of-25 passing for 328 yards, five touchdowns and a perfect passer rating of 158.3, the third such game of his career. He hit every throw, as if tossing into a big net. The Steelers worked the no-huddle offense, Roethlisberger’s specialty, on a short week, and the usually stout Panthers looked uneasy throughout.

Turns out this offense hadn’t unlocked everything it had this season. The Steelers had connected on three deep balls all season but hit two Thursday, a 75-yard touchdown to JuJu Smith-Schuster and a 53-yard score for Antonio Brown, who made rookie corner Donte Jackson look silly in press coverage.

After the Panthers marched 75 yards for the opening score, the Steelers flipped the game in 13 seconds with the Smith-Schuster touchdown on their first play from scrimmage and Vince Williams’ interception for a touchdown off an ill-advised Newton throw out of the end zone. The Smith-Schuster score was the franchise’s longest-ever first play from scrimmage.

When Roethlisberger left the game with 14 minutes, 55 seconds in the fourth quarter, the Steelers had scored points on all seven of their drives that didn’t end in a clock run-out at halftime.You can read more from Mr. Fowler here.“Steelers blow out the Panthers at Heinz Field, 52-21”From Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
The Steelers might have to petition the NFL to let them play more often on Thursday night. They turned a short week into their biggest win of the season, 52-21 over the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field.

The Steelers fifth straight victory was by far their most impressive of a season in which they zipped from the bottom of the AFC North Division at 1-2-1 to the top at 6-2-1.

Linebacker Vince Williams also returned an interception for a touchdown and James Conner ran for his 10th touchdown, 11th overall this season. Conner left the game in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion. He had his four-game streak of 100 yards rushing snapped, mainly because Mike Tomlin subbed in his backups at halfback on a short week. Conner ran 13 times for 65 yards.You can read more from Mr. Bouchette here.Have a great weekend Steeler Nation!

“I don’t need to give him advice. He’s Superman.” — Ben’s response when asked (?) what advice he would give Cam Newton in prolonging his career.

Recapped by Teresa Varley, Steelers.com:The Steelers went back to work on Tuesday, a short week to prepare for Thursday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field.

And to add to the difficulty of preparing on a short week, the team is coming off a physical game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

“That is probably the toughest part, is the physicality of the game before. Playing Baltimore,” said Ben Roethlisberger. “Everyone knows that is going to be one of the most physical games of the year. We have a couple of days to get ready for another physical team.”

And the best way to prepare, allow your body to recover as much as possible.

“Rest,” said Roethlisberger. “Just try to do what you can to get as healthy as you can.”

Another issue the short week presents is game-planning. Normally there are three full days and the Saturday walk-through to go over everything. This week, it’s two days.

“We’ll be able to throw some new stuff, some new things in there, but not like a typical work week or game plan week where you have a lot of things,” said Roethlisberger. “We’ll have to rely on the no-huddle and some things we have done over the weeks and years.”

Roethlisberger loves to run the no-huddle, something the offense has done with a lot of success, including last week against the Ravens. And it can be the perfect solution for this week because it’s something they have a comfort level with.

“The familiarity of it,” said Roethlisberger. “We have been doing no-huddle stuff and those plays for a long time. Not throwing something new, just the understanding of it. We have been doing it for a while. We know it pretty well. We did it last week in Baltimore well. Just being able to pick up the pace and the tempo and the familiarity of it.”You can read more & watch Ben’s interview here.

Okay, so it’s only Monday morning, but with the short week (another game on Thursday), Ben’s show was pushed up a day:Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he is thankful the hit he took Sunday in Baltimore wasn’t more serious, but that he is definitely feeling it Monday.

During the #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show Monday Morning, Ben talked about the hit he took that knocked the wind out of him in the fourth quarter Sunday that gave Steelers quite the scare.

During his longest run of the day, Roethlisberger took a hard hit from Ravens outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith.

“I didn’t know he was right behind me and I was heading to that sideline, I saw that first down marker and I was trying to get there. Boy, when you don’t see it coming, it hurts a lot worse,” said Roethlisberger.

When asked about what went through his head as he was lying on the field Roethlisberger said,

“You feel a very big person coming down on top of you and when you hit the ground, instantly you just kind of feel pain, you feel shortness of breath, you feel a little bit of everything, I’ll be honest, but pain mostly. Then as I’m lying there…I had to stay in the fetal position because I couldn’t even straighten my legs because I couldn’t breathe. You just hear the doctors and you hear everybody ‘What’s going on? What’s going on?’ And you want to answer them but you really can’t.”

He then described going through a “check list” of making sure he was okay.

“Okay, shoulder…a little sore, but I think it’s okay. Collarbone…feels okay, [and] then goes the whole check list thing. Once I got on the sideline more, your wind starts coming back to you.”

Roethlisberger added that he was “Lucky and blessed that I did not get more than the wind knocked me. Everything from my collar bone to mid-section is in extreme pain.”

While he was out for a play getting his wind back, backup quarterback Josh Dobbs came in and hit Juju Smith-Schuster for a 22 yard pass to get a first down. It was Dobbs first NFL pass.

“I thought that was awesome. I had no idea what the play was, and I looked and saw him drop back to pass and it peaked my interest. I thought for sure that we were going to run the ball. I see him drop back to pass and I kind of peaked to the outside to look at our receiver running down the field and next thing you know, I see Josh stepping up and delivering a perfect pass to Juju. I was so proud and happy for Josh. Someone asked if I was surprised and I said no because he prepares everyday like a professional like he’s going to go out there and make that play when he gets the opportunity, and he did it.”

Roethlisberger also talked about how special James Conner truly is and how important the solid play of the offensive line is

“Well this is normal I think. We’ve been saying that he’s a special player. I think it’s time that we say maybe some of the success goes to the line too. When you talk about how great Le’Veon is and what James is doing, and I’m sure James would be the first one and Le’Veon too, will tell you that they’re only as good as the line is, and they’re playing really, really good football right now.”

Roethlisberger added how proud of Conner and his play.

“James just keeps doing his job and his job is to run the ball hard, protect and catch the ball. He’s doing all those things at a really high level right now. We’re all really proud of the way he’s playing.”

Has he heard anything about Le’Veon Bell’s status for this week?

All he said was “Nothing.”

When asked about Mike Tomlin’s quote on Bell that they “Need volunteers, not hostages,” Ben laughed and said “That’s the first time I heard that. That’s pretty funny. I wonder where he got that one from.”You can listen to Ben’s full radio show right here.

Would you like BigBen7 to post a birthday wish for you or someone else? Just email me with the name, and the birth month and day!

NOTE: Birthday greeting requests must be sent before the birthday month starts and prior to the posting of the new list. Otherwise, they will be put on the calendar for the next year.

King Street Sports Bar

If you are visiting or vacationing in South Carolina....

Stop by King Street Grille with locations in Charleston, Kiawah Island, James Island, Mt. Pleasant and Myrtle Beach!

"Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is part owner of the Charleston-based chain that is decked out in full Steelers theme. However, King Street Grille doesn't play favorites, it's a sports bar where all sports fans and fanatics are welcomed.

"If you're looking to catch up on sports highlights or catch a game, then this is the spot." -- Sun News Restaurant Review, July 29, 2010.

Don't Quit

The words from Coach Hep's favorite poem, "Don't Quit" were not recited just to motivate his players before a game - they were a way of life for him. Ben keeps a copy of that poem taped to his locker.